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I have really enjoyed CWM, and still use it even after switching from OpenBSD to Linux (I really liked OpenBSD, but need some programs that only run on Linux).
by charlesdaniels 6y ago
I have really enjoyed CWM, and still use it even after switching from OpenBSD to Linux (I really liked OpenBSD, but need some programs that only run on Linux).
One of the features I find most useful is that you can have a window focused without raising it. So if you have some reference material open in a browser over top of part of your terminal, you can switch focus to and even click in the terminal without raising it (in my setup, I alt-click to raise). Admittedly, I'm not sure if this is the default behavior, as many of my settings are non-default.
I also really like the ability to search through window titles. I have alt+/ set to open the window search menu, then I can type a substring of the window title I want to raise, press return, and it's automatically raised and focused.
CWM is really, really nice, and every other WM I've tried before or since has disappointed me by comparison.
- pjmlp 6y agoFocus follows mouse is pretty old X11 feature. That there are window managers that don't expose it, that is another matter. Even Windows used to have a powertoy to enable it on Win32.
- charlesdaniels 6y agoOh for sure, focus-follows-mouse is widely available. But with CWM, it is easy to configure the WM so that a window being focused doesn't also cause it to be raised.
- pjmlp 6y agoYeah but that is how it is supposed to work. Exactly how I used fvwm (the original one) and twm back in the 1994 onwards. To be raised one needs to additionally click on it.
- charlesdaniels 6y agoRight, but in CWM, you can also make it so that clicking on it doesn't raise it either. Which is useful if you want to click UI elements in a window without raising it.
- pjmlp 6y agoAh ok, thanks.
- signa11 6y agofwiw, that’s exactly how my fvwm2 setup works. you need an explicit key-chord to raise a window that has focus. or you need to click on the title-bar. also, realized that monitors are getting wider than taller, so vertical real estate is precious, so title-bars are on the ‘left’ side of windows. which seem to work well for me...
- Saint_Genet 6y agoIt is entirely implemented in the window manager. It's not an X11 feature.
- pjmlp 6y agoNaturally, if you want to be pedantic, X11 is a network communication protocol for GUI based applications, X servers have plenty of freedom how that protocol gets rendered.
- smabie 6y agoI love focus follows mouse and that the window isn't raised when you click. It's such an important feature and effectively multiplies your screen real-estate. Like you said, it's great to have a small editor or terminal window floating over a web browser, really makes a lot of things easier.